Businesses and Social Good

Doesn’t a mobile phone increase access and opportunities? Isn’t that social good?

This segment presents the interesting debate on the social benefits of capitalism. It urges participants to think about the different ways in which private enterprises shape society. We go through a brief history of capitalism and introduce the concept of markets and efficiency. Through examples and case studies on different industries, we analyse the successes and failures of markets.

We also investigate the link between capitalism and inequality and tie it back with our session on justice and equality. We briefly touch upon the evolution of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and its incorporation as a core element in present-day business models.

This segment also helps participants understand how governments try to create a favourable environment for businesses. We discuss some current government of India policies that aim to do just that.